NLC President Gives Update On Nationwide Strike After Meeting With FG
The organized labor leaders in Nigeria have decided to consult with their respective organizations and workers before making a final decision regarding the impending strike action. This decision comes after a meeting held with the federal government delegation on Sunday in Abuja.
In an effort to prevent the strike action threatened by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), the federal government engaged in discussions with labor leaders. According to a statement by the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, after the meeting, the government made several concessions.
These concessions included a provisional wage increment of N35,000 for all treasury-paid federal government workers for six months, a commitment to expedite the provision of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to alleviate public transportation challenges resulting from the removal of the petroleum subsidy, the removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) on diesel for the next six months, and the commencement of payments of N75,000 to 15 million households at N25,000 per month for a three-month period from October to December 2023.
However, the government emphasized that workers need to be at work for these concessions to be implemented.
In response to the government’s position, NLC President Joe Ajaero stated that they are considering the government’s promises to workers before making a final decision on whether to proceed with the proposed strike or take an alternative course of action. Ajaero mentioned that they would present these promises to their respective labor organizations and workers for evaluation and guidance.
The labor leaders are cautious in their approach and are seeking input from their members before making any definitive decisions regarding the strike.
